Thursday, April 30, 2009

Last weekend as you probably know, I visited my buddy, Diane. Not too far from where she lives is a Frank Lloyd Wright house (The Rosenbaum House). Check out the pictures below and be sure to click on the link too. We couldn't go inside as tours are scheduled I believe, but we looked all around outside. It appeared so tiny inside.

Monday, April 27, 2009

What have I been waiting for? A rejection from a certain editor. She didn't get me or my writing and that's okay. I still like and respect the editor of course as she rejected me politely and professionally.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

No, I'm not talking about wee lil' leprechauns. It's bad enough all the celebrities are publishing books, but now royalty can be added to the mix. Per Publishers Lunch last Monday, Prince of Wales and King of Jordan are writing books.

Us little people will have to work that much harder at getting even a sliver of the pie.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

I was looking over contest comments for one of my books and what one judge said jumped out at me. She'd said I had too much narrative and not enough dialogue in one section. The section she was referring to was from the hero's point of view. I thought that was interesting. As most of my heroes are he-man types and chatting up people isn't their forte. And don't you hate it when the hero talks about what he just did or what he's about to do in detail? Then I think, we just read that part or why read it if you've told me what will happen?

Oh well, we all have to find that fine line between too much and too little of anything.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Now grammar has been my booger-bear for most of my adult life. I did wonderfully in high school but afterwards it was like I forgot everything.

On one of my loops someone pointed out a grammar mistake on a blog and I realized, though she wasn't talking about my blog, I was probably guilty of the same thing in the past.

What was it? To arouse someone's interest is to pique their interest. I swear somewhere in my posts here or at Romance Magicians or in a manuscript, I've used the word peak in error. Funny how things will pop out at you. LOL! And this wasn't the first time or the last.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Yep, you're right. I'm over at Romance Magicians today. Check it out. It's about alpha males. I know, it's my favorite subject, but I've included info about alpha females too. And NO! I'm not playing for the other team. It's more of me talking about myself. LOL! I kill myself. A laugh every minute.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

I don't recommend doing this but I read an interesting tidbit in Entertainment Weekly about how Ang Lee (director of Brokeback Mountain and numerous others) had the memoir TAKING WOODSTOCK brought to his attention. It appears the author was on the same talk show as Lee and pitched the book and gave him a copy. Lee even admitted he would normally throw it away and forget it, but it so happened he was needing a break from drama and was wanting to do a comedy. Now that was being at the right place at the right time.

Friday, April 17, 2009

I'm thankful the soap opera General Hospital is still on the air. With the news of the 72 year old Guiding Light going off the air in a few months, I had a moment of panic. What would I do if not for my weekend fix (since I work during the week) of the big GH?

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Last month I blogged about email addresses and how people who want to be taken seriously in the writing world should changed theirs. Lately I've seen more email addresses and blog names with regular names at the professional blogs I read. Hurrah!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

I'm going with my buddy, JoAnn, to our other buddy's (Diane) house a week from Saturday. We're having a little writers' retreat. We plan to teach Diane how to do Discovering Story Magic (taught by Laura Baker and Robin Perini). I'm so looking forward to it. It will be so much fun and uplifting.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

I love to travel, especially in the U.S., but whenever I go to a state outside the deep South, I order Coke. Occasionally, they'll tell me they have only Pepsi and that's okay though I prefer the Real Thing.

If you're wondering what do I drink when I'm home or in the surrounding states, it's iced tea. In Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee, they know that means SWEET iced tea. Other states usually serve unsweet and you can never get it to taste right if you don't stir in the sugar while it's hot. And heavens forbid if they serve the instant crap. I'll just ask for water (I never send anything back) and say the heck with it. LOL!

Oh! And I like by Coke in a bottle not a can. I'm really not picky. Really.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Today, a buddy and I were talking about the beginning of books. How it's best to start off with a bang. Most readers no longer want a slow build of the plot. They want it to hook you from the first word and not slow down until about ten pages in. Then only sprinkle in backstory through the rest of the book.

I write a mixture of starts in my books and most have action hooks. For examples,

2) A SHERIFF TO CALL HER OWN: Sitting in a graffiti-smeared cell on a Sunday afternoon wasn’t what Molly Hicks would call a good way to end a weekend.

3) OUT OF THE SHADOW: Olivia typed the ammunition data into the keypad on her sniper rifle and then nestled her cheek against the stock’s custom-fit pad, waiting for the information to be processed and her target to come into view.

4) DEADLY TEMPTATION: It sucks to be me. I had hoped I’d gotten over my obsession with Dad’s employer, but here I stood in his study almost drooling on the big, bad boss man’s Gucci leather shoes.

5) BLOOD PROTECTOR: Sinon Warrick didn’t give a damn about being more than an hour late for his meeting, but the second call was filled with such panic, he knew he no longer had a choice. So he untangled the arms and legs wrapped around his waist and neck and shrugged on the black silk dragon robe he favored.

6) SHADOW HEALER: Cassidy’s hands itched to circle Micah’s neck and squeeze. Running away and making her search long into the night for her brother’s skinny butt was so wrong! How many times had she told him to think before acting? The overgrown brat! If anything ever happened to him, she’d never forgive herself.

7) THE CHAMPION: Taut ropes cut into Tori Amherst’s wrists and ankles as her body jerked and shuddered. Each time the blade ran along her skin another thin layer fell on the floor.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

For those interested in the journey of unpublished to published author, check out my friend's blog. Christy Reece's first book is coming out April 28, followed by the second one in May and the third in June. They're awesome. I promise.

Monday, April 6, 2009

I was thinking this evening how time stands still when you're waiting for editors and agents to answer queries and partials. I understand they're swamped and I wouldn't ever think of bothering them. But it gets so old.

Yeah, I know about it being okay on requested material (the partial) to send them an email (if they say it's okay on their website) or call them, but I've done it in the past with no results. So I wait six months and move on. And, yes, I'm writing on a new book the whole time but, hey, I'm on number nine and it's getting a little crazy. Of course, I believe I've improved with each book. Then again, I know a lot of authors who have improved with each PUBLISHED book. What the hey?

Like I said on FaceBook, "Time stands still when you're unpublished. That is, until you look at the calendar and a year has flown by with no results. I'll be perky tomorrow."

Friday, April 3, 2009

Got a new hairdo and feeling pretty. Several people at work said they liked it. A couple raved. Some didn't say anything including my hubby. Smart man. And a few (mostly men) said, "So you cut your hair, huh?" LOL! It's not THAT short.

Well, I'm thankful I was daring enough to try something new. Maybe sometime this weekend I'll take some of pictures of myself and post. Then again, maybe not. LOL!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Years ago, I lived with depression so horrible, it touched so many parts of my life and the people I loved. I never want to go through it again. Like an alcoholic I have to fight the feeling every day and remind myself to be grateful for everything and everyone in my life.

The other day I had a little bout. The darkness pulled at me wanting me to stay inside the house, trying to keep me in bed, telling me not to go to work. Don’t go to the chapter meeting. Don’t think. Don’t feel.

Well, I recognized that vicious cycle and decided to pull out a pad and write everything pulling me down, my perceived failures, mistreatments, and shortcomings, anything I would dredge up during those times. After filling in several pages (neatness didn’t count) I balled up the paper and threw it in the garbage can.

THERE!

I felt so much better. Sometimes to feel better you have face those demons. And the best way for a writer to do it is to write. Maybe a list or maybe the best damn book you can write.

About Me

Carla Swafford loves romance novels, action/adventure movies and men, and her books reflect that. Plus she's a rare creature in the Deep South, she loves hockey. Carla's married to her high school sweetheart and lives in Alabama.